Sean Avery gets criticized, for, uh, not being a jerk.

I think the expressing of an opinion is alright as long as it is done in a tasteful manner, but to directly call someone out by calling them 'misguided' is insulting. That is why people are blowing up against this guy and he deserves it.

Lightning Sweep Capitals Out of Playoffs

It will be tought to pick Thomas and Roloson and this point. Both are playing out of their head's, but who can keep it up. I agree with Holden though, now that my wings are about to exit, I'll have to root for Yzerman's boys down in the south. At least as someone who knows the game, I can appreciate that there are is some great talent left. It's unfortunate that hockey has such a small market, it really is the most exciting game out there.

The Story of Panyee FC

President Obama's Bracket Goes 29-3

Obama isn't the first president to fill out the bracket. Presidents have been doing this for years. And, really, how is this a waste of time? No worse than visiting a school or hosting a national championship team or a group of gold medal winners. The right wing is just looking for another attack point.

On topic: Well done on the picks, I wish my bracket looked like that. Mine looks more like Michael Bay movie at this point.

Tsunami Disaster Disrupts Japanese Sports

I think it is important that other aspects of events of this nature are reported. Engadget reporting on how this is effecting electronics and delivery of the world, Marketwatch on NPR reported on how the quake is effecting the aspects in terms of the economy. The CNN style news coverage is just showing us the ground zero damage. I had no idea that many of the relief were actually stuck in between cities because they ran out of gas and can't travel further.

Sports maybe a secondary or probably a tertiary issue, but to understand the scope of what is happening, we should familiarize our selves with more aspects of the event.

It is good that news outlets are sticking to what they do best and reporting on their niche/effects to that niche so we may all understand it wholly.

Montreal Police Investigate Chara Hit

I think the call on the ice was the correct call. Had it been against the glass instead of a stanchion, it would have been a minor, maybe. I have been reffing for 12 years now from the little kids all the way up to college and junior and stuff like this happens. Chara wasn't playing outside of the game on this. It was unfortunate, but part of the game. For them to open up an outside investigation is stupid. Are they going to put a warrant out for Chara's arrest so he can never play in Montreal again? It's all a stunt.

Injuries happen. No one opened an investigation when Burish got his neck cut by a skate as if someone used a weapon on him. Yeah, that's way out of context, but so is calling in the police for a body check.

From the barber's pole to between the pipes

These stories are great but I bet the team management is just as scared as the 1-day goalie. If that guy has to go in, that team is in trouble. No matter what level he played before, the NHL is just that much higher of a level.

As for picking up a college player, they wouldn't do that. The college player, although eligible to sign a contract in the pros, would then lose his amateur status immediately and not able to play college again. No one would win in that scenario.

Too dainty to hit

Having coached and refereed women's hockey at the college level, the game of women's hockey is extremely different from that of the men's. From an officiating standpoint, introducing hitting would make calling a game much easier. I have worked with many refs who have no idea what at a rubout is compared to a bodycheck. But introduction now would have interesting implications. At what level could the girls start hitting? Will all levels adopt it at once or will they just allow it as they move up. Once a girl from the year they allowed hitting made it to the national level, would all the women already playing a that level have to start hitting? I think that the implimentation would be the hardest part. As for the size aspect, size doesn't really matter; there is a certain respect in the game and there are rules to help keep it safe. At the 14 and under age for boys, you will get kids who are 6'2" playing against kids that are 5'. Rarely does one of the smaller kids leave the game hurt and if he does, it is almost always due to the nature of the play and not the size of the player.

Adding hitting may put a fwe more people in the stands but as the game is now, it is very entertaining if you undertand the sport. But, that said, most people don't understand Men's hockey let alone women's. =/

You're all out!

As a multiple sport official for over 15 years now, there does come a time in a game where the fans are start to take the game away from what it is. The game is there for the participants, not the fans (at the grass roots level of course). I have had players come up to me on more than one occasion and request to have fans removed because it was detracting from the game. I have asked people to leave from games ranging to 8 year old kids playing hockey up to the college level. When the fan was removed from the college game, there was a standing ovation. It can be that bad at times. If Mr. Briggs has been officiating for over 10 years, he has thick skin. Something caused him to gas the whole crowed. I have heard of it happening before and I am sure it will happen again. The fans should be there to support the teams and players, not to vent their frustration and something they have no control over. When fans are in good spirits, it makes the game more enjoyable for all involved.

The most anonymous men on the ice.

As an official myself, the 'art' of officiating is being refined as it ages. It used to be common place to jump on the boards to get out of the way. Now, we are teaching refs to avoid that at all costs. As soon as your skates leave the ice you lose the advantage of solid base. One good check while you're on the boards can put you into the players bench or can end up much worse - broken arms and legs are not unheard of. As you get to the higher levels of hockey, players learn that the linesmen are in basically the same spot every time and they in turn learn to avoid that spot - a puck shot into a linesman is not a puck that clears the zone. We officials still have to keep our head up for the panic plays but most of the time we can have faith in the players. In my 11 years of officiating I have suffered a concussion, a broken foot, many "tattoos" and coutless other bumps, bruises, and cuts but that is just part of the game. Players skate though most of that so we officials do as well.

Referee's are lucky in that their positioning is much more fluid than a linesman has to be. Linesmen have to be on their line to make the call whereas the refs move to get a better vantage point throughout the game.